Found a childhood treasure

[pegkerr]

I grew up reading books voraciously, naturally, and one of my favorites was a retelling of The Wild Swans by Hans Christian Andersen. I loved it and re-read it many times. Of course, you know where this is going. Sometimes, a tale told in childhood can imprint itself on a child's imagination in a way that echoes for years, and it obviously did for me. I drew upon my vivid memory of that story when I was writing my own retelling, which was published the year I turned 40.

But I didn't have THE BOOK. That special, special book that had fired my imagination all those years ago.

Bits of my memory of the illustrations wove itself into the story I wrote. I remembered a picture of Eliza sitting on the ground, peering up at the sun through a hole in a leaf. I remembered the wicked queen spilling the toads into the bath. I remembered Eliza meeting the fairy in the woods, flying through the air in a woven net held by swans, and huddling with her brothers on the rock in the middle of the ocean. I remembered her visiting the room the king had set aside for her with the shirt he'd found her making in the woods--Eliza wore her hair in a snood, which absolutely fascinated me. I remembered her in her prison cell, looking up with longing at her brother's wing, glimpsed through the grated window. I remembered the scene of chaos when the brothers were being changed back into men, the wild look in Eliza's eyes.

My parents sold their house after I left for college and downsized accordingly. Perhaps they'd gotten rid of the book even before that--probably they did, as there were four of us kids growing up, and we didn't have enough storage to keep forever every treasured keepsake.

I knew that the story was by Hans Christian Andersen. But...how could I find it again?

The problem was that while I certainly remembered the illustrations, I couldn't remember the edition itself. I didn't think it was just "The Wild Swans" alone...whatever it was that I read included several of Andersen's tales. But not the entire collection. When I was going to the University of Minnesota for graduate school, I stopped by the Kerlan Collection of Children's Literature, hoping to find my childhood book. But the Kerlan's stacks were closed. "Just check the catalog and write your request on this slip and we'll retrieve it from the stacks," the librarian encouragingly.

Do you know how many HUNDREDS of editions of Hans Christian Andersen's tales there are, especially in a collection devoted to children's literature? It seemed absolutely hopeless.

And then last night, I was thinking with longing of that treasured book from my childhood again, and it suddenly occurred to me to do what I should have done years ago. I actually smacked myself on the side of the head because I felt so stupid.

What I remembered was the illustrations. So obviously, I should do an image search of illustrations for "The Wild Swans."

I found it in five minutes flat. What's more, I found a copy of the edition for sale for around $20, including shipping. It's on its way to me now. The illustrator was Libico Maraja, and the pictures were published in an edition of several of the tales retold by Shirley Goulden. The edition was published in 1966.

Here (page 1) and here (page 2) are the illustrations that drifted, ghostlike through my imagination in my retelling all those years later. It gives me such joy to be able to put at peace that restless, searching part of myself that had longed to see those pictures for so many years.

Comments

[julian]

Wow, those are gorgeous. I love the dark woods on the 1st page. I've had that thing, where *that specific edition* and *those illustrations* are the right ones. In fact, I've rescued a few books from my local library's discard pile that were *that right edition*.

As to your solution: Yay! And the thing is, 20 years ago, this sort of searching would have been difficult-to-impossible. 10 years ago, probably possible, but it wouldn't have been reliable. This is like, the perfect time for it.

But man, that grad school experience sounds teeth grindingly irritating. *Browsing* is a *thing*.

[thomasyan]

For quite a while now, technology means we are living in a new world, and playing catchup to the possibilities.

I hope the book lives up to your memories!

[lydy]

Oh, my, those are _gorgeous_ illustrations. No wonder they branded your imagination.

[lydamorehouse]

Wow! So cool! I'm glad you found the book again!

[pameladean]

Oh, Peg, how wonderful! Honestly, I think right now is a really good time to have realized what you needed to do, and to have the book on its way to you.

P.

[gerisullivan]

I'm thrilled for you, and delighted to see these illustrations.

[aome]

Wow - what a special find!! Btw, I, too, have several books from my childhood, bought on eBay/Abebooks by myself or my mother, and I am keeping them FOREVER. Those kinds of treasured memories are worth more than gold.

<3 <3

[madrobins]

There are three or four books whose illustrations are tied tightly to the story for me, and I've been able to get two of them. One is A Little Princess, with illustrations by Ethel Betts; another is Eight Cousins, with illustrations by Clara Burd. All I have to do is open the book to be transported, not just into the story, but into my feelings for the story when I was a kid.

[kiwiria]

That is so, so cool!! I'm really glad you found it :-)

[minnehaha]

Ah, that was clever. and the pictures are so evocative!

K